David Dixon (Former Chairman Helicopter Board Of Examiners) RIP
 

Hello all Helicopter Peeps.

Most of you know that (my uncle) David Dixon not too well at the mo.

A lot of retired/still active helicopter peeps have been in touch with him-which has made his day. Please, If anyone-else wants to come out of the woodwork on this forum- and pass on any message-I will be very happy to print them off and give them to him when I see him next.

Sorry for the strange request!

Jonathan Robinson.

David Dixon
 

Hi Jonathan, Very sorry to hear that David is currently under the weather. Please give him my best. He will remember me for being Ch Eng at Manns in another life, and I will remember him for being one of the (few) pilots, who could make extremely intelligent comments on a flying snag when asked. Current bio on website www.cmacltd.net which you could print off also? Best ~ CW

Please give him my best wishes from the writer of "Dead dog Blues" and ask him to 'Skype' me anytime he feels like a chat.

To you both-thank you so much! Will pass this on. He's not able to get near a computer at the mo-so he's unable to reply-but will def print this off and read them to him.

Thank you.

JR.

David Dixon
 

Hi all on here,

Our David is indeed in poor shape and it seems he has the dreaded big C of his liver.

A truly super guy and a great pilot and young Georgie tells me that the plan is to have him home as soon as the hospital will agree to release him.

Young Georgie tells me David would welcome seeing some of his flying mates, and as soon as he is back home, I am planning to make a visit. I'm based near Hemel Hempstead and if another guy or guys would like to join me, the idea would be to go as a small gang (2 or 3) to give David some cheer at a very difficult time.

Jonathon ... will be making contact with you on this aspect.

It may be a couple of weeks yet though.

Take care all,

Dennis Kenyon.

DK.

Thank You.

JR.

Dave Dixon
 

Jonathan
Please wish Dave all the best from his instructor from 705.He was one of the few students who allowed you to close your eyes and relax on the way back to Culdrose from Predannack. Haven't seen him for many years and Hi from Mike Bowden too.
GH

Thank you.
 

Will do.

One of the previous posters P.M'd me wanting David's number (he has a private phone next to his bed)-so I rang DD to ask if it was OK to give out his number-his reply was that he would love to hear from ANY of his old mates in the industry.

So-please feel free to P.M. me and I will pass on the number.

Thanks again to EVERYONE for all the good feedback. :D

JR.

Best wishes from one who was around Culdrose in 1967-68 about the same time as David was training. I have a lasting memory of him downing a yard of ale (albeit temporarily!) in the Prince of Wales at Newtown St Martin. Even covered in second hand Devenish he managed to look cool!

That's DD......

A pint of Adnams was smuggled in to the hospital....... It went down the hatch pretty sharpish I hear.......

Will keep this forum posted.

Anyone needs to talk to me: am working at EGLG.

JR.

David Dixon
 

Jonathan,

Please pass on to D-squared (as I call him) a hearty greetings from myself and the gang here at Robinson Helicopter Company! :ok:

Warm regards,
Pat

Hello Pat!

Will do. Hello to you all from me. Please, best to FR, Tim T and anyone else who I knew.

DD will be thrilled to hear from you.

JR

G'day David ....if you happen to be reading ......

You might remember me as the brash Ozzie to came to you for my ATPL GFT reviews when you were at Trent (Cranfield) back in 1980.

Why you employed me to instruct for you afterwards still astounds me .... but there you go ... sorry to hear your not well ..... keep grinning :E

Cheers Mate

Hi JCR

Hopefully David will remember me calling him 'one take' because he very kindly presented a video on the Philips Decca based 'ap navigator' for me at our house, Barford Court in Surrey in the days before GPS.

Initially, I tried to present it myself but I couldn't get my foot out of my mouth - even less so when I was flying at the same time.

He was as polished at presenting as he was at flying - did the whole video in one morning as if he'd done TV work his entire life.

I'm very sorry to hear he's not well. Please pass him my very best wishes.

Regards

DD
 

Will do.

Thanks so much for getting in touch.

Jonathan.

David and I were on basic training at the same time as he was on the course after mine. I well remember when we were on HMS Bulwark off Cyprus when he got the news that he was finishing his tour early to go and become a QHI. He'd always been a good aviator. He was due to fly out from RAK Akrotiri the next day, but his leaving party was so good that he didn't do any packing, left late and had to leave most of his kit behind. At one time we were drinking a delicious mixture of ouzo with Old Spice aftershave!!

I didn't see him for many years until I was on the Bristow Training School and he came down to demonstrate the R22. He told me that despite any misgivings I had, I'd grow to really like it and he was quite right.

Please pass on to him my very best wishes and I hope he manages to beat it.

Bob

Please pass on my regards - I knew David only briefly when I was at Cranfield with ITPS, but enjoyed my meetings with him. Kind regards from a wandering Canuck.

DD
 

Will do!!!!!!!!!

P.S. Most of the navy stories I have heard are non-printable...... :ooh:


Thanks SO much for getting in touch.

Have spoken too DD on the blower today and told him how many peeps have posted and he is over the moon!

Just for the record-he has told me to pass on his number to anyone who who would like a chat so please feel free to P.M. me or contact me at EGLG.

Jonathan.

JCR, I have never met DD personally but I can honestly say, he did the slickest EOL I have ever seen in an R22. I will never forget how smooth and easy he made it look. Never seen a better one since.

Best wishes.

DD
 

Thank you!

You should see him with a pint of beer...........

JR

Please pass Dave my best wishes for a speedy recovery.
Joe T (Luton/Cranfield 78)

DD
 

Will do.

Thank you!

To all well-wishers as of 22.4.08 2200 hours (BST),I printed off everything and posted them (via mail) to DD so he can have a read and a giggle. Will do same with batch 2 by this weekend.

Rang the hospital this morning for a chin-wag. His phone was answered by one of the nurses who explained he couldn't talk as he was doing his "walking" exercise. I passed on my best and said they should make him do a further 10 laps of the ward.

The giggling nurse told me DD's reaction to this was two worded, with the latter being "off"!!!!!!!!!!

The spark is still there!

Will keep this forum posted (bad pun).

DG-Thanks for the e-mail. Means a lot.

Thanks to you all for texts, messages etc. :ok:

JR

What?I cant quite believe another one.I knew David when we were both Teenagers in Henley on Thames in the early sixties.We both went into Flying,but he went Helicoptering and I Fixed wing,and then lost touch.I met him briefly at HSP Leeming,but then again at the Superb Trent Aviation at Cranfield.He was running the Helicopter School,with Black Humphrey running the Fixed wing,all just like CFS!!!!!A wonderful Training organisation.He is a magic guy,and loved life to the full despite many problems,particularly health.Please give my regards and hope all goes well for him.I think the Robinson would never have got off the ground were it not for Dave Dixon.Henley in the 60s,brings back memories of an excellent Boys Training ground,to become Young Men!!!!!!!!!!Spirits up then Dave.:ok:

DD
 

Thank you for that.

Agreed 100% on the DD/R22 success.

I've said for years the same.

As before-anyone who wants to speak to him please P.M me or contact me at EGLG and I'll give you his number.

Thanks again SO much.

Jonathan.

DD
 

Hello again,have sent you a message on pprune.Regards Mike

DD
 

M

Have just P.M.'d you.

Best,

Jonathan.

FAStoat ...

Oooohhhh yes.... "Black Humphry" and "Stanley" Hodgkins (?) was also there.... I shared an office with him ... nearly cost me my bladder used to laugh so much! .... absolutely fantastic really professional bunch to work with .... arrrhhh those were the days.

:ok:

Not that he knows me...
 

JR

I'm very sorry to hear this.

Please send him my best and let him know that I feel privileged to be learning from him through you. A pilot and instructor I aspire to.

Kind regards,

EG

DD
 

Thanks EG-means a lot.

Up date:

Spoke DD this morning and he has now read the posts that I mailed him a few days ago and he is THRILLED. Will send the next batch off Friday evening.

Thanks to all for all messages/texts/e-mails etc.

One GOOD item of news: Claudia, David's youngest daughter, had her baby this morning-a little boy. Mum and child doing well. DD rang me from his hospital-!-on his mobile (don't tell Matron) over the moon that all is well on this front re Claudia's news in her hospital.

Too many Dixon's in too many hospitals!

Thanks again to all. Will keep all posted.

JR

Dad
 

Hi Everybody,

I'm Georgie, David Dixon's middle daughter.

Just a quick one to say how nice it is to hear that he has touched so many people in his life......

I have really enjoyed reading this and can't wait to chat about it to him when i see him tommorow in hospital.

DD
 

Nice one Georgie.

You have control......

JR

David
 

Keep your pecker up, David. Will try to visit when I'm next in London.
George B

DD
 

Hello all.

Update.

Spoke DD this evening and all as well as can be. Seeing him Monday and will take latest of this with me.

J.

greetings

David you did my initial Instructors check ride in Mar'79 at OATS and I was most honoured when you asked me to join you at Trent a few years later.
It was when that Robbo thing came along. I resisted and in fact only got qualified on that type in 2001.. when 9/11 put me back flying helicopters.

Best Wishes David God Bless
ps have you finally worn out your Navy Boots?

Mmmmmmm .....

Just checked my logbook ....... I've got a whole :10 minutes in a Robinson 22 (as a passenger) hanging on very tightly ...and guess who I was sitting next too whilst this punishment was being undertaken?????

Clue: This happened in the circuit at Cranfield in 1981 ???? :eek:

:E

Ran screaming back to the Jet Ranger (G-OIML) and refused to get out of it for the next year!

DD
 

:)


Will Pass both those on. Off to see HRH at the hospital today.

J.

Is this the David that married Sarah from Flight International?

DD
 

Gainsey. Yes it is.


Up date time.

Saw his nibs today. Top form. Rather yellow due to either A. Jaundice or B. entering the "who-looks-most-like-Cato-from-the-pink-panther-films" (first prize in both cats) but generally-on REALLY good form....

Gave him the latest print out on all the above. Read out to him some of the more recent additions to this thread and gentlemen (and I use that term carefuly) he identified each and everyone of you from the quotes/years/RN/Trent/Sloane/RHC/CAA/JR/anti R22 comments!!!!!!!!!!!!!

My/His/Other's MANY thanks.

DD still:) ing!

JR

MMMM mmmmmmmmmm .........

Well thats f*****g good news (using language DD will understand prefectly).

Cheers Steve :ok:

JCR, thank you.

I remember when the Buffalo crashed ("hard landing"):rolleyes: at the Farnborough show, David had been sitting in his Robbo in the static park when a large chunk of errant Buffalo speared the cockpit between him and some punter. Knocking back a large cool one in Flight's chalet he remarked that the fixed/flingwing rivalry was getting "a bit f***ing fierce".

Best wishes Mate.